Bank of England may face lower inflation despite ‘Oasis bump’ August 18, 2025 Bank of England forecasts on inflation for July could be too high despite suggestions Oasis concerts could make prices jump, forecasters have said. The Bank’s last Monetary Policy Report took a gloomy view on the state of the UK economy as it claimed inflation would hit 3.8 per cent in the month of July. But [...]
Stephen Kinnock quizzed on his dad’s calls to ditch two-child benefit cap August 18, 2025 Stephen Kinnock said that discussions in government around scrapping the two-child benefit cap are “ongoing”, when asked about his father Lord Kinnock’s calls to ditch the policy. In an interview with BBC Breakfast, the health minister said: “Decisions about the Budget, decisions like that have major financial implications, they are a matter for the Chancellor.” [...]
‘Weak fiscal position’ pushes UK borrowing costs to 27-year high August 18, 2025 Government borrowing costs have jumped over the past two weeks, flashing warning signs for Chancellor Rachel Reeves. The 30-year gilt yield hit 5.57 per cent on Friday before falling back to stick around 5.54 per cent when trading began on Monday. Gilt yields are higher than levels seen in April after President Trump announced sweeping [...]
Rachel Reeves to slash environmental protections to boost builders August 18, 2025 Rachel Reeves is looking to take the axe to environmental protections blocking infrastructure projects in a bid to boost Labour’s building pledges. The Chancellor is considering reforms to prevent nature concerns from inhibiting new developments as she desperately looks to supercharge her growth agenda. Labour’s Planning and Infrastructure bill is in the committee stage at [...]
Crunch summit: Starmer, Zelensky and European leaders to meet Trump in DC August 18, 2025 Sir Keir Starmer will join European leaders in presenting a united front with Volodymyr Zelensky at his crunch meeting at the White House with Donald Trump. The Prime Minister and six other political leaders will travel to Washington DC on Monday, with the aim of protecting Ukraine from having to submit to Russian land grabs [...]
Rayner claims Reform will ‘fail women’ as she weighs in on online safety row August 16, 2025 Nigel Farage and Reform UK risk “failing a generation of young women” if they scrap online safety laws aimed at preventing revenge porn, Angela Rayner has said. The Deputy Prime Minister demanded Farage explain how his party would keep young women safe when they use the internet, after Reform vowed to repeal the Online Safety [...]
Rumoured changes to inheritance tax gifting spark concern for middle-class August 15, 2025 Reeves is looking at measures to increase revenue from inheritance tax by tightening gift rules, a move that may disproportionately affect the middle class.
Trump teases second Ukraine summit hours before Putin meeting August 15, 2025 European leaders including Sir Keir Starmer could attend a second meeting with Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky which could bring the war in Ukraine to an end, the US president has said. On the eve of the summit, Mr Trump said leaders from Europe, which could include members of the so-called “coalition of the willing” that [...]
Insurers urged to reassess Russian oil coverage amid UK and EU price cap changes August 14, 2025 An insurance association has urged its members to assess their exposure to Russian oil as the UK and EU prepare to update their oil price cap regimes
Training investment has dropped by £10.9bn since apprenticeship levy introduced August 14, 2025 Investment in training has dropped by £10.9bn since the apprenticeship levy was introduced in 2017, fresh analysis has shown, with calls growing for Labour to speed up its overhaul of skills programmes. In a new report by the Fabian Society, which is affiliated to the Labour Party, the government has been warned that the apprenticeship [...]